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Anthony Anderson, Miles Brown
 

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game mainstay Anthony Anderson will be back in action Friday night at the 2018 game at the Los Angeles Convention Center. He'll also have a familiar teammate. Black-ish co-star Miles Brown, who is just 12 years old (Anderson is 47) is among those on Team Clippers. Anderson caught up with ThePostGame to discuss his history with the game, teamming with Brown and a charitable partnership happening this year.

ThePostGame: How many celebrity games have you been in now? You're like the veteran.
Anthony Anderson: You know what, I think I am the veteran. This started with me 21 years ago when I had a basketball morning show called Hang Time on NBC. That was my very first celeb basketball game and All-Star and it just happened to be the 50th anniversary of the NBA when they honored the top 50 players. I've played in just about every one since then, minus a few years work didn't allow me to participate.

The official NBA All-Star Celebrity Game started in 2003. Anderson's team that season featured Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx, Manute Bol, Jonathan Lipnicki and Sue Bird, among others.

TPG: Have you gotten better over the years?
ANDERSON: I've gotten older over the years. I've lost a step. I used to play above the rim, now I play below the net. I haven't gotten better, but the fun gets better every year.

Where are some of your favorite places to play?
ANDERSON: Iconic places like Staples Center, like Madison Square Garden, places like that.

TPG: Looking at your roster, you have quite a team there with Miles Brown, your castmate on Black-ish, Brandon Armstrong, Jamie Foxx and Bubba Watson literally in the middle of a golf tournament. Who are you looking most forward to playing with?
ANDERSON: All these guys are my friends. I'm just looking forward to playing with my friends and coming home with a win. Miles has been talking for the last two weeks about how we got to work on our Black-ish pick and roll. We got to work on our Black-ish pick and roll, Ant! Come on, man. Bubba and I have been close for 15 years and we met on the PGA Tour. Jamie Foxx and I have been friends forever. Just looking to go out there and entertain the crowd, not tear an Achilles.

Have you worked on that Black-ish pick and roll like Miles has asked you to?
ANDERSON: We do it in between takes. Miles has visions and dreams of going to the NBA. Miles is only 3'6" right now. I don't know if he's gonna grow much more after that, but he really has dreams of going to the NBA, so we shall see. We'll see how he performs in this celeb game.

TPG: What's the scouting report on Miles?
I will give it to Miles. Miles has game. Miles has game at 3'6." He's got a big heart. He's quick. He can handle the ball. He can shoot. I think his size is gonna be problematic for these big guys like Spud Webb's was and Muggsy Bogues' was when they were in the league. So Miles is my ace in the hole.

TPG: I imagine you go around NBA arenas and players say they are big fans of Black-ish. Has any player come up to you and shocked you by telling you they're a big fan of the show?
ANDERSON: The majority of the athletes, we've been friends. We travel in the same circle, so it really doesn't shock me when athletes come up to me and tell me they've been watching the show. I would assume they're watching just becomes of the friendships we've forged over the 20+ years I've been in this industry. What amazes me is just the regular people on the street. Actually, I will tell you right now, who coaches the Raiders right now?

TPG: Jon Gruden now, Jack Del Rio before.
ANDERSON: Jack Del Rio and his wife -- I'm a huge Raiders fan -- they invited me to the Raiders-Patriots game in Mexico City, and so while we were on the field at the 50-yard-line, Jack Del Rio and his wife came over pregame and told me how much they love our show and they sit down and it's appointment television for them and their children. That is what surprised me.

TPG: One NBA All-Star can be a guest star on Black-ish. Who would you want it to be?
ANDERSON: You know what, I'm a huge Clippers fan and we actually have DJ [DeAndre Jordan] scheduled to work in this episode we're shooting right now, so I'm excited to have DJ on. We make a lot of references to Chris Paul because he's a friend, but he isn't on the Clippers anymore.

TPG: Yeah, DeAndre's a little taller than Miles Brown.
ANDERSON: (Laughs) Just a little bit. Miles can hit his free throws though. DJ needs a little help.

Anderson spoke to ThePostGame on behalf of Ruffles, the presenting partner of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. For this year's edition of the game, Ruffles has installed a 4-point line, called "The RIDGE." For every 4-pointer made in the second half, Ruffles will donate $4,000 to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (a minimum of $20,000 and maximum of $40,000).

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